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Reflection on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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The Visitation of Our Lady, May 31, 2021  By Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Lk 1:45)  In Catholic tradition, May is reserved as a month in which the faithful honor Mary, the Mother of God. As a student at Sacred Heart School in Bennington, each May we took part in the “May Crowning,” a ceremony in which a statue of Mary would be crowned with a wreath of flowers. It was a way to honor her presence and remember our devotion to her. The ceremony was followed by a “Living Rosary,” in which each student would take one prayer of the Rosary. In my sixth-grade year, I was designated by Sister of St. Joseph Mary Ancilla, our teacher, to carry the cross into the Church, and then to start the Rosary in praying the Apostles’ Creed. I was nervous! While the event began with me, thankfully Sister Ancilla was right there directing our efforts. The final day of May is the feast of the Visitation, t

Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima | 2019

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The Blessed Virgin Mary is venerated under this title following apparitions to three shepherd children, Lúcia, Jacinta and Francisco, in Portugal in 1917. The message of Fatima includes a call to conversion of heart, repentance from sin and a dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially through her immaculate heart. This optional memorial is new to the United States' liturgical calendar and occurs on May 13. The appearance of our Lady to the children at Fatima is an event of great consequence. Our Lady's warnings are those of a mother spoken out of love for her children. In these visitations, Mary urges humanity to reject sin and to pray unceasingly. Our Lady extolled the power of the daily Rosary for conversion and repentance. She told Lúcia, Jacinta and Francisco that many people go to Hell because they have no one to pray or make sacrifices on their behalf. She then showed the children a glimpse of Hell which Sr. Lúcia describes in her book, Memoirs : [Mary] ope

Feast of Sts. Francisco & Jacinta Marto (Portugal)

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On February 20th, dioceses in Portugal (together with others around the world) observe the feast of Sts. Francisco and Jacinta Marto. They are the youngest saints not to die as martyrs recognized by the Catholic Church. Francisco and Jacinta’s courageous witness to the faith teach us that even young children can become saints. The brother and sister who tended to their families’ sheep with their cousin Lucia Santo, witnessed the apparitions of Mary, Our Lady of Fatima. The Blessed Virgin Mary’s six appearances between May 13th and October 13th, 1917, at Cova da Iria, near Fatima, Portugal, to three poor shepherd children, was a defining moment in salvation history, presaging several significant events in the 20th century and beyond. Our Lady's urgent message speaks to us today. Mary told the children that she was sent from heaven by God with an urgent message for humanity. At that time, World War I was raging, and Europe was being torn apart by violence and bloodshed. Our La

Venerable Pauline-Marie Jaricot, Apostolic Soul

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Optional Memorial - January 9th Pauline Marie Jaricot was born in Lyon on July 22, 1799, to a profoundly religious family of silk merchants. Her entire life was given completely to God and her Holy Mother, the church. From her conversion at the age of 16, she devoted herself to a life of prayer and service. At age 18, she composed a treatise on the Infinite Love of the Divine Eucharist . She founded societies of prayer that continue today. At this time, Catholics in France faced persecution. Pauline and her family lived in isolation. Had Pauline not been withdrawn from the world in this way, she would not have fully understood the necessity of prayer. With this insight, she dedicated herself to works of charity. She found that to serve the poor and afflicted was to serve Christ himself. Dividing her efforts between helping others and her life of prayer, she soon realized that to truly help others, she must bring them to God. The French Revolution had wrought havoc and destru

Praying for the Church Suffering: A Method of Reciting the Rosary for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

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Here we pray the Sorrowful Mysteries. Before each decade, we pray what concerns the particular mystery, and instead of ending the decades with Glory Be…, we pray: Lord, grant them eternal rest and let perpetual light shine upon them! Begin the Rosary normally, and then before the first decade is prayed, but after the 1st Sorrowful Mystery is stated, pray: Lord, Jesus Christ, through Thy bloody sweat of fear that Thou didst shed on the Mount of Olives, we ask Thee to have mercy on the Poor Souls in Purgatory. Deliver them from their fear and pain and console them with the cup of heavenly comfort! Before the second decade is prayed, but after the 2nd Sorrowful Mystery is stated, pray: Lord Jesus Christ, through Thy painful Scourging which Thou didst tolerate so patiently for us sinners, we ask Thee to have mercy on the Poor Souls in Purgatory. Retract from them the pain of Thy anger and give them eternal rest! Before the third decade is prayed, but after the 3rd Sorrowful Mys

Did Our Lady of Akita Predict the State of the Church Today?

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On October 13, 1973, Our Lady of Akita (Japan) told the visionary Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa that heresy would occur within the Catholic Church: "The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their conferees (other priests)... The Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord." Our Lady concluded with these hopeful words, echoing her message at Fatima: "Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. I alone am able still to save you from the calamities which approach. Those who place their confidence in me will be saved." Holy Mary, pray that the Church remains faithful starting with ourselves. _____________________________________________ Prayer for a Holy Church and Priests O my Jesus, I beg You on

Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary | 2017

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Memorial - October 7th Originally known as "Our Lady of Victory," the feast recalls the Battle of Lepanto, a 16th century naval action in which Christian forces (the Holy League) repelled a massive Turkish invasion. Pope Saint Pius V attributed the victory to the divine intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary after urging Europe's Christians to pray the Rosary for our Lady's intercession. Some accounts contend St. Pius V was granted a miraculous vision of the Holy League's victory. In 1573, St. Pius V established the feast. Clement XI extended it to the universal Church in 1716. A Brief History of the Rosary According to tradition, in the 12th century, the Rosary was given to Saint Dominic by Mary herself. But the devotion spread by Dominic did not resemble the Rosary we pray today. Originally, the Rosary had 150 beads, representing the number of psalms in the Bible. Religious orders recited the 150 Psalms daily as a way to mark the hours. Those wh

Saint Dominic, Priest and Founder

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Memorial – August 8th The Martyrology gives the following: "At Bologna (upper Italy) the holy confessor Dominic, the saintly and learned founder of the Order of Preachers. He preserved his virginity inviolate and gained for himself the grace of raising three dead persons to life. By his word he crushed heresy in the bud and led many souls to piety and to religious life." He was notable for his learning and love of poverty. Born about 1175 in Castile (Spain), Dominic hailed from the illustrious Guzman family. First he was a canon regular at Osma; then he founded the Dominican Order, which was approved in 1216. Alongside the Franciscans, it became the most powerful Order in medieval times, giving the Church illustrious preachers — St. Vincent Ferrer, and contemplatives, Sts. Thomas of Aquinas and Pius V — and contributing immeasurably to maintaining the purity of the faith. Through the example of apostolic poverty and the preaching of the word of God the Friar Preacher

Reflection on the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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The Visitation of Our Lady, May 31, 2017  By Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Lk 1:45)  In Catholic tradition, May is reserved as a month in which the faithful honor Mary, the Mother of God. As a student at Sacred Heart School in Bennington, each May we took part in the “May Crowning,” a ceremony in which a statue of Mary would be crowned with a wreath of flowers. It was a way to honor her presence and remember our devotion to her. The ceremony was followed by a “Living Rosary,” in which each student would take one prayer of the Rosary. In my sixth-grade year, I was designated by Sister of St. Joseph Mary Ancilla, our teacher, to carry the cross into the Church, and then to start the Rosary in praying the Apostles’ Creed. I was nervous! While the event began with me, thankfully Sister Ancilla was right there directing our efforts. The final day of May is the feast of the Visitation, t

Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians

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The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Mary Help of Christians on May 24th. Today, like centuries before, Christians facing persecution, violence and death, have invoked Mary’s protection under this designation. Concerning it, Saint John Bosco wrote of his order, the Salesians' primary mission: "The principal objective is to promote veneration of the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to Mary Help of Christians. This title seems to please the august Queen of Heaven very much." The tradition of this devotion goes back to 1571, when the whole of Christendom was saved by Mary Help of Christians as Catholics throughout Europe prayed the Rosary. The battle of Lepanto defeating the Ottoman Empire occurred on October 7th 1571 . The date was chosen as the Feast of the Holy Rosary. In 1573, Pope Pius V instituted it in thanksgiving for the victory of Christianity over Islamism. Near the end of the 17th century, Emperor Leopold I of Austria took refuge in the Shrine of Mary

Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima | 2017

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May 13th is the optional memorial of Our Lady of Fatima, the title given to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary in the apparitions which occurred between May 13th and October 13th, 1917, at Cova da Iria, near the town of Fatima, Portugal, to three poor shepherd children. Lucia de Jesus Santos and Francisco and Jacinta Marto. Our Lady told the children that she had been sent by God with an urgent message for humanity. At that time, World War I was raging, and Europe was being torn apart by violence and bloodshed. Our Lady promised that God would grant peace the world over should her call for prayer, reparation and consecration to her Immaculate Heart be honored. The Blessed Virgin emphasized to the seers and to the world at large, "If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace." However, if it were ignored and people did not cease offending God, a far worse war would befall mankind, during which innumerable souls would be lost. That conflict, World

Our Lady of Fatima Novena 2017 | Day 9

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May 12, 2017 In 1917, Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. They were Lucia Santos, Blessed Jacinta Marto and Blessed Francisco Marto . She then instructed the children to pray the Rosary daily to end the war and bring peace to the world. She also asked that the following prayer be recited at the end of each decade of the Rosary: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.” Our Lady entrusted the children with three secrets. The first was a vision of Hell . The second was a prophecy about the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II, and the need for Russia to convert to Christianity. The third secret concerned the Holy Father suffering greatly and the persecution of the Church. On her seventh and final appearance, Our Lady's promised miracle occurred. The sun appeared to dance in the sky; an event witnessed by thousands of people. T

Our Lady of Fatima Novena 2017 | Day 8

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May 11, 2017 In 1917, Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. They were Lucia Santos, Blessed Jacinta Marto and Blessed Francisco Marto . She then instructed the children to pray the Rosary daily to end the war and bring peace to the world. She also asked that the following prayer be recited at the end of each decade of the Rosary: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.” Our Lady entrusted the children with three secrets. The first was a vision of Hell . The second was a prophecy about the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II, and the need for Russia to convert to Christianity. The third secret concerned the Holy Father suffering greatly and the persecution of the Church. On her seventh and final appearance, Our Lady's promised miracle occurred. The sun appeared to dance in the sky; an event witnessed by thousands of people. T

Our Lady of Fatima Novena 2017 | Day 7

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May 10, 2017 In 1917, Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. They were Lucia Santos, Blessed Jacinta Marto and Blessed Francisco Marto . She then instructed the children to pray the Rosary daily to end the war and bring peace to the world. She also asked that the following prayer be recited at the end of each decade of the Rosary: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.” Our Lady entrusted the children with three secrets. The first was a vision of Hell . The second was a prophecy about the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II, and the need for Russia to convert to Christianity. The third secret concerned the Holy Father suffering greatly and the persecution of the Church. On her seventh and final appearance, Our Lady's promised miracle occurred. The sun appeared to dance in the sky; an event witnessed by thousands of people. T

Our Lady of Fatima and the Antidote for Evil

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Fr. Roger J. Landry As authentic Marian apparitions go, many of the aspects of our Lady’s appearances to the three shepherd children in Fatima a century ago seem commonplace: Mary asks the seers to pray and do penance for the conversion of sinners, calls them to daily devotion to the Rosary, advocates for peace in the world, requests the children to return on specific dates, and entrusts them with secrets. What has never ceased to surprise me, on the other hand, is what she revealed to the children after she had showed them a very vivid vision of hell. The sight of “demons and souls in human form” with “shrieks and groans of pain and despair” was so terrifying that, Lucy wrote later, had Our Lady not earlier promised them that she would one day take them to heaven, they “would have died of fear and terror” on the spot. After the vision, Mary said to them, “You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go,” a clear indication that Hell is a real possibility of human fr

Our Lady of Fatima Novena 2017 | Day 6

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May 9, 2017 In 1917, Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. They were Lucia Santos, Blessed Jacinta Marto and Blessed Francisco Marto . She then instructed the children to pray the Rosary daily to end the war and bring peace to the world. She also asked that the following prayer be recited at the end of each decade of the Rosary: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.” Our Lady entrusted the children with three secrets. The first was a vision of Hell . The second was a prophecy about the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II, and the need for Russia to convert to Christianity. The third secret concerned the Holy Father suffering greatly and the persecution of the Church. On her seventh and final appearance, Our Lady's promised miracle occurred. The sun appeared to dance in the sky; an event witnessed by thousands of people. Th

Our Lady of Fatima Novena 2017 | Day 5

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May 8, 2017 In 1917, Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. They were Lucia Santos, Blessed Jacinta Marto and Blessed Francisco Marto . She then instructed the children to pray the Rosary daily to end the war and bring peace to the world. She also asked that the following prayer be recited at the end of each decade of the Rosary: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.” Our Lady entrusted the children with three secrets. The first was a vision of Hell . The second was a prophecy about the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II, and the need for Russia to convert to Christianity. The third secret concerned the Holy Father suffering greatly and the persecution of the Church. On her seventh and final appearance, Our Lady's promised miracle occurred. The sun appeared to dance in the sky; an event witnessed by thousands of people. Th

Our Lady of Fatima Novena 2017 | Day 4

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May 7, 2017 In 1917, Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. They were Lucia Santos, Blessed Jacinta Marto and Blessed Francisco Marto . She then instructed the children to pray the Rosary daily to end the war and bring peace to the world. She also asked that the following prayer be recited at the end of each decade of the Rosary: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.” Our Lady entrusted the children with three secrets. The first was a vision of Hell . The second was a prophecy about the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II, and the need for Russia to convert to Christianity. The third secret concerned the Holy Father suffering greatly and the persecution of the Church. On her seventh and final appearance, Our Lady's promised miracle occurred. The sun appeared to dance in the sky; an event witnessed by thousands of people. Th

Our Lady of Fatima, the Rosary, and the Path to Peace

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Fr. Roger J. Landry One of my favorite stories from the apparitions of Our Lady in Fatima a century ago this year is how Our Lady was compelled gently to correct the three shepherd children for “cheating” on how they were praying the Rosary. The eldest, at the time ten-year-old Lucy, described in her eventual Memoires what they were doing and why. “We had been told [by our parents] to say the Rosary after lunch, but as the whole day seemed too short for playing, we worked out a great way to get through it quickly. We simply passed the beads through our fingers, saying nothing but ‘Hail Mary, Hail Mary, Hail Mary….’ At the end of each mystery, we paused a second, then simply said, ‘Our Father,’ and so, in the twinkling of an eye, as they say, we had our Rosary finished! … So great was our eagerness to get to play! Our prayer finished, we started to play ‘pebbles’”! When our Lady appeared, she taught them how to slow down and to pray the whole Our Father, the whole Hail Mary

Our Lady of Fatima Novena 2017 | Day 3

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May 6, 2017 In 1917, Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. They were Lucia Santos, Blessed Jacinta Marto and Blessed Francisco Marto . She then instructed the children to pray the Rosary daily to end the war and bring peace to the world. She also asked that the following prayer be recited at the end of each decade of the Rosary: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.” Our Lady entrusted the children with three secrets. The first was a vision of Hell . The second was a prophecy about the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II, and the need for Russia to convert to Christianity. The third secret concerned the Holy Father suffering greatly and the persecution of the Church. On her seventh and final appearance, Our Lady's promised miracle occurred. The sun appeared to dance in the sky; an event witnessed by thousands of people. Th